Decimated G-Men head to Denver
EAST RUTHERFORD » Sports Authority Field at Mile High both exasperates and torments. Just ask Tom Brady, whose Patriots are 3-7 in Denver since 2001.
The Giants (0-5) will be playing 5,280 feet above sea level Sunday night at the home of the Broncos (3-1), universally touted as one of the most challenging road environments in the NFL.
Quarterback Eli Manning has played there once in his career back in 2009. Offensive guard D.J. Fluker ventured into Denver once a year with the Chargers from 2013-16. Still, this is virtually unknown territory for New York at any already frustrating time of the season.
“You just don’t know how it’s going to affect you,” offensive lineman Justin Pugh said. “I haven’t played there personally, and just making sure I’m really taking care of my body this week, extra hydration. We had Pratik Patel, our nutritionist, made sure to give us the guidelines of what you need to make sure you’re putting into your body this week to be ready.”
That’s hardly half the battle. Not only are the Giants taking on Denver’s vaunted defense featuring Von Miller, arguably the best outside linebacker in all of football. They’re doing so decimated and deflated.
For all intents and purposes, the Giants’ season ended last week with a demoralizing 27-22 home loss to the winless Chargers, plunging New York to an 0-5 record in which no team has ever rallied from to make the playoffs.
Not to mention wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr., Brandon Marshall and Dwayne Harris are on injured reserve with season-ending leg injuries, and six other starters have already been ruled out this week.
“We have to move on and obviously, whenever you lose players, you have to make adjustments and other guys have to step up,” Manning said. “The only way to fix the mood is to get a win. Nothing else is going to change it. Nothing else is going to make you feel any better except going out there and getting a ‘W’. We have to have great preparation. We have to have great energy and enthusiasm. Excited about this opportunity.”
The Giants are hardpressed to convince fans it will happen this week. New York is a consensus 12-point underdog against the Broncos, per OddsShark.com.
With Sterling Shepard also out with an ankle injury, the Giants’ only healthy receiver that was on the roster last week is Roger Lewis. They resigned Tavarres King and signed Ed Eagan and Travis Rudolph off the practice squad. Those three have a combined four catches in the NFL.
Other key starters out with injuries include defensive end Olivier Vernon, outside linebacker Jonathan Casillas and center Weston Richburg. Veteran cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is suspended indefinitely after violating team rules and leaving team facilities Wednesday.
With perennial playoff participant Seattle on deck next week, there is a strong possibility the Giants go into their Week 8 bye at 0-7 — unless they show enough fortitude in primetime Sunday to pull off a major upset.
“We’ve got a great opportunity. There’s nobody giving us a chance in hell to go win this ballgame,” head coach Ben McAdoo said. “People don’t think we can score a point without 13 (Odell Beckham). They think our defense has lost its stinger. Special teams isn’t important to the whole locker room. So we’re going to find out what we’re made out of on a big stage, and I think we have a good football team.”